Window cleaning mechanism for transit vehicle having suspended windows

ABSTRACT

As a transit vehicle, such as a rail car or bus, is moved into and through a window cleaning station, the vehicle windows, which are hingedly suspended from their upper edges, are unlatched, and the lower edges of the windows on each side are guided onto respective upwardly and outwardly sloping track portions which swing the windows toward open position. The open windows then ride along horizontal track portions where they pass between a pair of rotating, cylindrical brushes to which a supply of cleaning liquid is fed. The windows then preferably are rinsed and dried, after which the tracks slope downwardly and inwardly to return the windows to suspended condition. As each window passes beyond and clear of the track, a presser roller rolls along its lower edge to press the window inwardly to closed condition.

United States Patent Tantlinger Oct. 28, 1975 1 WINDOW CLEANING MECHANISM FOR Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts TRANSIT VEHICLE HAVING SUSPENDED Attorney, Agent, or FirmPatrick J. Schlesinger WINDOWS [75] Inventor: Keith W. Tantlinger, Coronado, ABSTRACT Calif- As a transit vehicle, such as a rail car or bus, is moved [73] Assignee: Rohr Industries, Inc., Chula Vista, into 3 through a windqw cleaning station the Califi cle wmdows, wh1ch are hingedly suspended from their upper edges, are unlatched, and the lower edges of the Filed: p 1974 windows on each side are guided onto respective up- [21] APPL N05 509,330 wardly and outwardly sloping track portions which swing the windows toward open position. The open windows then ride along horizontal track portions 15/21 15/103 where they pass between a pair of rotating, cylindrical CI- brushes to a upply of cleaning is Fleld of Search 21 21 E, The windows then preferably are rinsed and dried, 97 103 after which the tracks slope downwardly and inwardly to return the windows to suspended condition. As References Cited each window passes beyond and clear of the track, a UNITED STATES PATENTS presser roller rolls along its lower edge to press the 1,827,887 10/1931 Gillespie 15 21 D Window inwardly to closed condition- 3,540,069 11/1970 Grant 15/21 D 12 Claims 5 Drawing Figures 1: k s y 17d 1 17 1d 1? 17 1 1 N w 1d ,1. F- I? I {,2 l 3% C) m Q r 1a 54 1 a Q J Ad; I 46 U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Shet1of3 3,914,816

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,914,816

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet30f3 3,914,816

WINDOW CLEANING MECHANISM FOR TRANSIT VEHICLE HAVING SUSPENDED WINDOWS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice to wash the exteriors of transit vehicles such as rail cars and buses at frequent intervals, and this can be readily and inexpensively accomplished by well known and commercially available means as the vehicle is advanced along a lane through a cleaning station. In the past, the cleaning of the interior surfaces of the windows of such vehicles has been a relatively slow and unsatisfactory procedure, since it required the services of a cleaning person inside the vehicle. This latter step usually has taken several man hours to complete, and has been attended by the risk of spilling cleaning fluids or water on the seats or floor of the vehicle. An official of one large city bus line has said that his company simply cannot afford to clean the interior surfaces of its bus windows except at very infrequent intervals.

It is not broadly new to clean articles by passing them between a pair of rotating cylindrical brushes, as shown, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,720,972 issued Mar. 20, 1973 to George T. Ennis and US. Pat. No. 2,914,784 issued Dec. 1, 1959 to Victor S. Floyd. No known prior mechanism, however, embodies the concept of the present invention or is capable of performing the operation for which it is designed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a transit vehicle in which the windows are hingedly suspended from their upper edges, the present invention automatically swings the windows outwardly and upwardly to open position, and in such position subjects the windows to the action of cleaning means which cleans at least the inner side, and preferably both sides of the windows, as the vehicle is advanced along a selected path through a cleaning station. The windows are then automatically lowered, released, and preferably latched in closed condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objectives and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a window cleaning station embodying the present invention with a bus in the process of being advanced therethrough.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the wash brush driving head taken along a plane defined by the axes of the rotary brushes, portions of the brushes and their shrouds being broken away.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the cleaning station shown in FIG. 1, the window actuating tracks being omitted.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view showing the finger on the leading end of the near window actuating track of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view showing one of the window closing presser rollers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED FORM OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in detail, a vehicle guide lane A has two guide channels and 11 therein which receive and guide the wheels of vehicle B along a selected path through a cleaning station C. For the purposes of the present disclosure the vehicle illustrated is a bus. The invention is intended for use on a vehicle having a row of windows 14 along each side thereof, each window being hingedly suspended from its upper edge and provided with self latching means as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,944 issued Jun. 11, 1974 to Robert A. Noga and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The windows preferably are pre-loaded, as by means of resiliently biased hinges so that when unlatched they swing outwardly slightly at their lower ends.

In order to swing the windows 14 outwardly and upwardly to free, open position, as each successive bus B is advanced along the lane A, it passes between a pair of window actuating and support tracks 17 and 18, one of which extends along each side of the selected path through the station. The two window support tracks are similar, but reversed, and therefore, only the near track 17 as shown in FIG. 1 is described in detail therein. Corresponding parts of the other track 18 are identified by the same reference numerals as those of track 17 with the prime added.

The track 17 comprises an initial portion 17a, the leading end of which is positioned closely alongside the path of a bus C as the latter advances along the lane A, and a guide finger 19, preferably a plastic blade, is mounted on the leading end of the track to enter beneath the slightly outswung lower end of each successive window 14 as it arrives, and cam the window outwardly onto the initial track portion 17a. As the bus continues its advance, the lower leading edges of the windows ride onto an upwardly and outwardly curved track portion 17b, and then onto a straight, horizontal track portion 170, which is parallel to the path of the bus through the station. This straight track portion 17c is followed by a downwardly and inwardly sloping track portion 17d which lowers the windows and when each window reaches a substantially depending position it passes beyond and clear of the track 17.

A biasing roller 20, which may be spring pressed or of suitable resilient material, is mounted to roll along the exterior of the lower portions of the released windows and to press them inwardly to closed, latched position.

As the windows ride along the straight track portion 170, they pass between a pair of rotating, cylindrical wash brushes 21 and 22, see FIG. 2, having axial shafts 21a and 22a, respectively. The brushes are joumaled, respectively, in axially parallel bearings 24 and 25, mounted in a driving head 27. Suitable power drive mechanism comprising a waterproof, geared, electric motor 28, see FIG. 2, drives the brush shaft 22a by means of a pinion 29 on the motor shaft which meshes with a gear 30 on the brush shaft 22a. The other brush 21 is driven in a reverse direction from the brush 22 by a pair of similar, meshed gears 32 and 33, one secured to each of the brush shafts.

To capture the spray thrown off by the rotating brushes, a pair of shrouds 37 and 38 shield the respective brushes 21 and 22, and are secured by cap screws 39 to a bearing block 40 in which the bearings 24 and 25 are mounted. The brush shafts may have cantilever support in their bearings, or, if desired, bearings, not shown, for the other ends of the brush shafts 21a and 22a may be provided in the respective shrouds 37 and 38. In any event, the space between the ends of the brushes and their shrouds toward the bus must be open to permit the windows 14 to pass therebetween as shown in the drawings. Ducts 41 and 42 extend lengthwise of the respective shrouds, and are provided with orifices 43 through which jets of cleaning liquid are discharged into the rotating brushes. The cleaning liquid for the brushes is supplied under suitable pressure by a conventional pump 44, see FIG. 1, from a storage container 46.

The driving head 27 is hingedly mounted at 47, see FIG. 2, on a support pedestal 48, which in turn is mounted on a platform 49 fixedly secured to a pair of track standards 50 and 51. The platform is braced by angle braces 52 provided one at each end thereof, and a spray shield 46 on the inner edge of the platform keeps any flying spray from entering the vehicle through the window openings. The driving head mechanism is enclosed by a bellows tube 53, which permits free articulation of the brush assembly. The hingedly mounted driving head 27 is counterbalanced by suitable means, such as a compressed air cylinder 54, see FIG. 2, having a biasing spring 55 mounted therein, and is adjusted by compressed air admitted through a control valve 57 normally to position the brush shafts 21a and 22a substantially axially parallel to, and on opposite sides of, the plane defined by the windows 14 as the latter travel along the horizontal track portion 176. Such arrangement avoids the exertion of undue pressure by one end or the other of the brushes on the windows.

Suitable or well known rinsing and drying mechanism preferably is provided. The rinsing means may comprise, for example, a rinse spray of conventional type, such as a water pipe, not shown, mounted just beyond the wash brushes and 21, the pipe having jet orifices therein supplied with pressurized water from a usual municipal water supply system. Beyond the rinse means, a pair of drying rollers 58, see FIG. 1, comprising helical rubber squeegee blades are provided for drying the windows. The drying rollers are mounted and power driven similarly to the wash brushes 21 and 22. The specific type of washing, rinsing and drying mechanism disclosed is satisfactory but is not essential to the invention and probably will be modified in accordance with the requirements of each individual installation. Since such modification is well within the capabilities of a designer or engineer sufficiently skilled to be assigned to such work, further details of such mechanism are omitted.

OPERATION OF THE ILLUSTRATED FORM OF THE INVENTION In operating the illustrative window washing mechanism, successive buses B are introduced into the guide lane A with their wheels in their respective channels, and the vehicles suitably connected to the conveyor chain 12 for advance along the predetermined path through the window washing station C. Prior to the arrival of the leading windows of each bus at the guide fingers 19, the windows 14 are unlatched, either manually or by suitable mechanical means, not shown, and are swung outwardly slightly from their closed position so that as the leading edge of each window arrives at its respective finger 19, the finger will pass beneath the leading edge of the window as shown in FIG. 4 and cam the window outwardly onto the initial track portion 17a.

As the bus continues its advance, each successive window is cammed by the upwardly and outwardly sloping track portion 17a toward fully open position, and in the latter position the lower portions of the windows ride along the straight, horizontal track portion 170. This latter track portion preferably provides lowfriction, non-scratching support for the windows, for example, by means of a covering of low friction material such as teflon, rollers, or air or water bearings, not shown, so as to avoid scratching the windows as they move therealong. Since the provision of such low friction support can be easily provided by one of ordinary skill in the art, the details thereof are omitted.

As the windows 14 pass between the rotating, cleaning brushes 21 and 22, which are provided with clean ing liquid from the container 46 by the pump 44, the windows are thoroughly washed. They are then rinsed as described previously herein and dried by passing them between the rotating drying rollers 57. The windows, thus, cleaned, rinsed and dried, then are lowered to depending position by the downwardly and inwardly sloping track portion 17d. They then pass beyond and off of the track 17 beneath the inwardly biased roller 15, which presses the released windows inwardly to fully closed, latched position.

The invention provides safe, economical, automatic window cleaning mechanism for a vehicle having windows hingedly suspended from their upper edges, which mechanism when installed as a station of a transit vehicle cleaning or maintenance line, has a minimal labor factor, and, aside from its original cost, adds very little to the cost of maintaining the buses, including the inner sides of the windows, in thoroughly clean condition.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and useful and desired to be secured by US. Letters Pat. is:

1. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof comprising:

a window cleaning station;

means for relatively advancing such vehicle along a prescribed path through the station;

means for moving the windows on each side of such vehicle, in sequence, to selected open position at a predetermined stage of advance of such vehicle along such path; and

window cleaning means mounted for cleaning at least the inner surface of each of the windows in such predetermined open position at such predetermined stage of advance of such vehicle along such path.

2. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein means mounted beyond the window cleaning means in the direction of advance of such vehicle along such path lowers the windows to suspended condition.

3. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the window cleaning means on each side of such path comprises at least one rotary brush mounted for rotative wiping engagement with at least the inner surface of each of the windows in sequence, in such predetermined open position, and means is provided for supplying cleaning liquid to said at least one rotating brush.

4. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein the cleaning means comprise a pair of rotary brushes mounted for rotary wiping engagement, one with each side of each window in such predetermined open position, and means is provided for supplying cleaning liquid to each of the rotating brushes.

5. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein the rotating brushes are cylindrical and are mounted in axially parallel position on a common driving head mounted laterally outwardly beyond the windows in their predetermined, open position.

6. Window washing mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein each of the brushes comprises an axial shaft, a pair of bearings are mounted in axially parallel, vertically spaced relation, one of the brush shafts is journaled in each of the bearings, and the driving head is hingedly mounted to swing about an axis parallel to such prescribed path.

7. Window washing mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein means resiliently maintains the driving head in a position wherein the brush shafts are substantially parallel to a plane defined by the windows in their predetermined, open position.

8. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the windows to open position comprises a pair of tracks mounted one along each side of such prescribed path, each track comprising an initial portion having the leading end thereof positioned to engage and support each successive window in slightly open position, an outwardly and upwardly inclined track portion beyond said initial portion and positioned to engage the leading edge of each successive window and to cam said each successive window upwardly to such selected open position, a straight track portion substantially parallel to the predetermined path of the vehicle through the station and positioned beyond said inclined track portion to support each successive window in such selected open position, and a terminal track portion beyond said straight track portion and sloping downwardly and inwardly for lowering, and then releasing, each successive window, said window cleaning means comprising at least one rotating brush mounted for wiping, cleaning engagement with each side of each window as the latter advances along said straight track portion.

9. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 8 wherein a guide finger is mounted co-extensively on the leading end portion of each track, with the leading end of each guide finger positioned close to the side of a vehicle advancing along such predetermined path and positioned to pass inwardly of the leading edge of each successive window adjacent its lower end, thereby camming said each window outwardly onto said initial portion of its respective track.

10. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 8 wherein an inwardly biased roller is mounted beyond the terminal end of each track in position to roll across the lower end portion of each window after said each window passes beyond its respective track, thereby pressing the window inwardly toward fully closed positron.

ll. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof, said mechanism comprising:

a window cleaning station;

means for relatively advancing a plurality of such vehicles in sequence along a prescribed path through the station;

means mounted at each side of such path to swing each successive window of said vehicle outwardly and upwardly to selected, open position;

means for supporting each window in such selected, open condition as the vehicle is advanced through a selected stage of advance along such path,

a pair of opposed cleaning members mounted at each side of such path, each pair of said opposed cleaning members being located and arranged to operatively engage between them the open windows at such selected stage of advance along such path;

means for supplying cleaning liquid to each of said cleaning members; and

means mounted beyond the cleaning members in the direction of advance of such vehicle through the station for lowering the windows to suspended position.

12. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof, said mechanism comprising:

a window cleaning station; conveyor means for relatively advancing such vehicle along a predetermined path through the station; a window actuating track along each side of such path; an element on the leading end of each of said tracks,

said element being shaped and located to pass inwardly of the leading edge of each window arriving thereat as such vehicle is advanced by the conveyor means along such path; an outwardly and upwardly sloping track portion continuous with each leading track element and shaped and position to cam each successive window outwardly and upwardly to selected open position as such vehicle is advanced along such path; a horizontal track portion continuous with each upwardly and outwardly sloping track portion and positioned to supportingly engage the lower edge portion of each window in such selected open position at a selected stage of advance of such vehicle along such path; pair of power driven, rotating, cylindrical cleaning brushes mounted at each side of such path for cleaning engagement, one with each side of each successive window in such open position at such selected stage of advance of such vehicle along such selected path;

means for supplying cleaning liquid to the rotating cleaning brushes; and

an inwardly and downwardly sloping track portion mounted beyond, and continuous with, each said horizontal track portion, each said inwardly and downwardly sloping track portion being shaped and positioned to lower to suspended condition,

and then release, each successive window. 

1. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof comprising: a window cleaning station; means for relatively advancing such vehicle along a prescribed path through the station; means for moving the windows on each side of such vehicle, in sequence, to selected open position at a predetermined stage of advance of such vehicle along such path; and window cleaning means mounted for cleaning at least the inner surface of each of the windows in such predetermined open position at such predetermined stage of advance of such vehicle along such path.
 2. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein means mounted beyond the window cleaning means in the direction of advance of such vehicle along such path lowers the windows to suspended condition.
 3. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the window cleaning means on each side of such path comprises at least one rotary brush mounted for rotative wiping engagement with at least the inner surface of each of the windows in sequence, in such predetermined open position, and means is provided for supplying cleaning liquid to said at least one rotating brush.
 4. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein the cleaning means comprise a pair of rotary brushes mounted for rotary wiping engagement, one with each side of each window in such predetermined open position, and means is provided for supplying cleaning liquid to each of the rotating brushes.
 5. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein the rotating brushes are cylindrical and are mounted in axially parallel position on a common driving head mounted laterally outwardly beyond the windows in their predetermined, open position.
 6. Window washing mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein each of the brushes comprises an axial shaft, a pair of bearings are mounted in axially parallel, vertically spaced relation, one of the brush shafts is journaled in each of the bearings, and the driving head is hingedly mounted to swing about an axis parallel to such prescribed path.
 7. Window washing mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein means resiliently maintains the driving head in a position wherein the brush shafts are substantially parallel to a plane defined by the windows in their predetermined, open position.
 8. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the windows to open position comprises a pair of tracks mounted one along each side of such prescribed path, each track comprising an initial portion having the leading end thereof positioned to engage and support each successive window in slightly open position, an outwardly and upwardly inclined track portion beyond said initial portion and positioned to engage the leading edge of each suCcessive window and to cam said each successive window upwardly to such selected open position, a straight track portion substantially parallel to the predetermined path of the vehicle through the station and positioned beyond said inclined track portion to support each successive window in such selected open position, and a terminal track portion beyond said straight track portion and sloping downwardly and inwardly for lowering, and then releasing, each successive window, said window cleaning means comprising at least one rotating brush mounted for wiping, cleaning engagement with each side of each window as the latter advances along said straight track portion.
 9. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 8 wherein a guide finger is mounted co-extensively on the leading end portion of each track, with the leading end of each guide finger positioned close to the side of a vehicle advancing along such predetermined path and positioned to pass inwardly of the leading edge of each successive window adjacent its lower end, thereby camming said each window outwardly onto said initial portion of its respective track.
 10. Window cleaning mechanism as defined in claim 8 wherein an inwardly biased roller is mounted beyond the terminal end of each track in position to roll across the lower end portion of each window after said each window passes beyond its respective track, thereby pressing the window inwardly toward fully closed position.
 11. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof, said mechanism comprising: a window cleaning station; means for relatively advancing a plurality of such vehicles in sequence along a prescribed path through the station; means mounted at each side of such path to swing each successive window of said vehicle outwardly and upwardly to selected, open position; means for supporting each window in such selected, open condition as the vehicle is advanced through a selected stage of advance along such path, a pair of opposed cleaning members mounted at each side of such path, each pair of said opposed cleaning members being located and arranged to operatively engage between them the open windows at such selected stage of advance along such path; means for supplying cleaning liquid to each of said cleaning members; and means mounted beyond the cleaning members in the direction of advance of such vehicles through the station for lowering the windows to suspended position.
 12. Mechanism for cleaning the windows of a transit vehicle having a row of hingedly suspended windows along each side thereof, said mechanism comprising: a window cleaning station; conveyor means for relatively advancing such vehicle along a predetermined path through the station; a window actuating track along each side of such path; an element on the leading end of each of said tracks, said element being shaped and located to pass inwardly of the leading edge of each window arriving thereat as such vehicle is advanced by the conveyor means along such path; an outwardly and upwardly sloping track portion continuous with each leading track element and shaped and position to cam each successive window outwardly and upwardly to selected open position as such vehicle is advanced along such path; a horizontal track portion continuous with each upwardly and outwardly sloping track portion and positioned to supportingly engage the lower edge portion of each window in such selected open position at a selected stage of advance of such vehicle along such path; a pair of power driven, rotating, cylindrical cleaning brushes mounted at each side of such path for cleaning engagement, one with each side of each successive window in such open position at such selected stage of advance of such vehicle along such selected path; means for supplying cleaning liquid to the rotating cleaning brushes; and an inwardly and dowNwardly sloping track portion mounted beyond, and continuous with, each said horizontal track portion, each said inwardly and downwardly sloping track portion being shaped and positioned to lower to suspended condition, and then release, each successive window. 